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Word Balloons: Centennial marked for one of comics' most notable creators

A 1980s photo of Jack Kirby by Marc Hempel [Photo provided by www.kirbymuseum.org]

The centennial of one of comics' most influential creators is being celebrated on Aug. 28.

Writer and artist Jack Kirby created many of the best-known heroes in comics. He was born Aug. 28, 1917. He died on Feb. 6, 1994, leaving behind an unparalleled body of work.

"Kirby was responsible for so many of the heroes we love today from Captain America to Ant-Man to The Fantastic Four to the New Gods to the Uncanny X-Men, and I am just scratching the surface here," said blogger and podcaster Dean Compton, of www.theunspokendecade.com.

With writer and business partner Joe Simon, Kirby created the highly successful superhero character Captain America for Timely Comics in 1941. Simon and Kirby packaged a number of comics for a variety of publishers before Kirby was called to service in World War II. In 1943, Kirby was stationed overseas as a combat infantryman in the Fifth Division, Third Army, commanded by Gen. George S. Patton.

Upon returning from the war, Kirby teamed up again with Simon for a time, and worked creating characters and content for a variety of publishers, working in the Western, romance and monster genres, among others.

The superhero revival of the 1960s would lead to Kirby's most famous works.

In the 1960s, Kirby co-created many of Marvel Comics' major characters, including the Fantastic Four, the X-Men and the Hulk, along with writer-editor Stan Lee.

In 1970, after creating more than 100 issues of Fantastic Four and large sections of other titles, as well, Kirby went to DC Comics, then known as National, where he created the notable villain Darkseid as part of his Fourth World Saga. He returned to Marvel from 1975-1978, and in the 1980s was one of the first to sign with the publisher Pacific, a company focused on the early direct market.

"Kirby, to me, is The Beatles of comic books," Compton said. "We may discuss who the best band is or who influenced music the most, but what we are really arguing about is who is the best besides the Beatles. Jack Kirby represents that spot in comic books."

Several books and events mark Kirby's centennial.

"Jack Kirby: Pencils And Inks" from the Kirby Museum and IDW has been released to comic shops, presenting Kirby's first Demon, Kamandi and OMAC stories, with the photocopies of his pencil art alongside the original art as inked and lettered by Mike Royer. Royer and Kirby's daughter, Lisa Kirby, provide essays for the book.

"Jack Kirby's Fantastic Four World's Greatest Artist's Edition" from IDW celebrates Jack Kirby and Stan Lee's run on Fantastic Four with an oversize 168-page hardcover.

The book features oversize reproductions of issues #33, #45, #47 and #60, featuring classic characters, including the Inhumans, Doctor Doom and the Silver Surfer.

DC Comics has celebrated Kirby's centennial with six one-shot comics celebrating his characters, including Darkseid, the Newsboy Legion, Sandman, Manhunter, Orion and the New Gods, and the Black Racer. DC also recently began a new series starring Kirby's Mr. Miracle, and since January has been running a miniseries featuring Kamandi. Archival reprints of many of Kirby's DC titles also are available.

In addition to reprint collections, Marvel has released $1 "True Believer" editions featuring Kirby's artwork, including "Avengers" #4, which brought back Captain America, in the 1960s.

"Kirby: King of Comics" (Anniversary Edition) provides biographical information and a selection of artwork from Kirby, written by friend and historian Mark Evanier. The book, first released in 2008, has been updated for the centennial and features an introduction by author Neil Gaiman.

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The website, www.kirbymuseum.org, features an online database of Kirby's work and is organized to promote and encourage the study, understanding, preservation and appreciation of Kirby's work. The museum is hosting a four-day celebration in New York from Sunday-Wednesday in honor of the centennial.

"Kirby's greatness shines on every single panel of every single page I have ever seen that the man produced," Compton said. "There's a frenetic energy to his work that remains unmatched to this day in comics or any medium. The figures jump off the page, grab you, and then drag you back into the page with them."

Features Editor Matthew Price has worked for The Oklahoman since 2000. He’s a University of Oklahoma graduate who has also worked at the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette and was a Dow Jones Newspaper Fund intern for the Dallas Morning News. He’s...
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